| Author |
 Replies: 52 / Views: 12,666 |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
5290 Posts |
Last week I did an estate appraisal in Massachusetts. In the accumulation of papers belonging to the deceased owner is a 442 page "Appraisal Numismatic Collection The Estate of Edward H.R. Green" done for the First National Bank, Boston, Massachusetts. It is dated 1937.
The appraisal is typed on ledger paper and measures 17 1/2 inches by 14 inches bound in brown press board covers.
The appraisal was done by Frederick C.C. Boyd of New York and it includes 51,018 coins, medals and tokens and 61,664 pieces of Paper Money that were in the vault of the bank.
The document is a carbon copy of an original that has been signed by Frederick Boyd and notarized.
My question - Does anyone know what something like this is worth and who would be best to dispose of it. The document is in my possession for disposal.
I also have THOUSANDS of old coin auction catalogs and books that were in the same estate. I have to dispose of all of them. They fill over 100 boxes and weigh a couple tons.
Any suggestions?
|
|
|
|
Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
I will offer suggestions as soon as I recover my equilibrium. Let that be a hint.
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
This sounds quite intriguing, old numismatic literature and auction catalogs have been bringing big money the past few years. As an example of the top end market, the Stack Family Numismatic Library was recently auctioned in two parts. The hammer total from the two auctions was a little bit over $1 million- books and catalogs, no coins...  The firm that promoted the auction specifically sells and auctions numismatic literature, Kolbe and Fanning Numismatic Booksellers. Edited by biokemist6
10/06/2010 1:54 pm
|
|
Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Imagine the holder of one of the all-time greatest coin collections, whose pedigree is listed as "WGC" ("World's Greatest Collection.") Consider him appraising the collection of another all-time great, a man who owned all 5 1913 Liberty nickels. This is almost certainly the official postmortem appraisal of Green's collection, and will include those 5 Liberty nickels as well as other outstanding rarities. I cannot help but believe that this appraisal, being signed and notarized, holds a significant place of its' own in numismatic history. It must be considered and treated as a document of great value. Swamperbob, this accumulation should probably be treated in the same fashion you, I and others advise newer collectors with an inherited hoard. It needs to be inventoried, knowledgeable dealers need to be consulted. Notwithstanding the Boyd document, there are likely some real gems. Viewed as a whole, it is likely an important set on its' own. I am staggered. |
|
Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Addendum with regard to the Stack's Collection auction mentioned by biokemist: Stack's official written record of their Green collection holdings and disposition, including an inventory and various correspondence including that involving King Farouk, auctioned for $70,000.
Keep that in mind.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
5290 Posts |
Dave - you echo my thoughts exactly. I am starting the inventory but it will be a daunting task which may take months.
I was initially very surprised to hear that they wanted to throw out everything except the books. The pressure actually came from the Real Estate agent who wanted the house cleaned out. But at least we were able to intervene and save the catalogs before they got too badly damaged. As far as I know, nothing was actually disposed of off site. They had moved 10 large boxes and a 50 gallon barrel to the garage but they were NOT rained on. Some bending and most labels attached to the cardboard holders were lost, but we picked up everything, so I hope to reassemble the collection as it was on the shelves.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1766 Posts |
What an amazing piece of numismatic heritage. I am left speechless (wordless)!
"Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself."
-Mark Twain
|
|
Valued Member
United States
499 Posts |
this sounds like a collection that needs to be handled by one of the top auction houses.
Richard
|
|
Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
I'm glad, but not surprised, to know that you already understand the importance of the task. Would that I was geographically closer, and able to assist.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2669 Posts |
Quote:
Would that I was geographically closer, and able to assist.  Wow! What a treasure! Thank goodness you were able to save it - what a terrible loss that would have been. Please let us know how the inventory goes and what is decided about auctioning.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
5290 Posts |
I will make additional postings as time and details permit.
The wealth of interesting material is amazing. I have identified several different types of materials thus far.
Catalogs - If I can believe the labels - a complete set of the auction catalogs from Stacks back to the 1930s. Many catalogs from other auctions dating back to the 1800s.
News Letters - Bowers and Ruddy Special Coin letter 1971-1981 complete? Boxes of other communication.
Stampless covers - folded letters from 1850s - at least 50 so far
Stamped covers - folded letters with stamps on the outside just a few
Envelopes - numerous types including Sea mail and diplomatic 1000's
Stock Certificates with stamps from the early 1900s (a box full)
Old Checks many cancelled and 2 bound books of blank Checks from a defunct Bank
Three corporate seals all defunct corporations
A box of documents relating to the 1901 seizure of a Whaling Vessel by the Russians - Trial text in French with depositions in English. A diary transcript is also included in English from one of the crew.
Post Cards - picture and non-picture late 1800s - 1900s hundreds
Advertising Cards some illustrated (just a few so far)
Books - Mostly Colonial reference books specializing in Connecticut and NJ.
Stamps - several old stamp books US and Foreign - Boxes of loose stamps - some new US stamps (postal blocks) etc, etc.
Also a three volume (loose leaf binder) set of the appraisal of the Colonel Green Stamp collection.
Personal notebooks documenting the portion of the original collection sold by Stacks in 1993 and 2000. Mostly Connecticut coppers some very rare varieties. There is a results sheet for the 2000 sale indicating a payment by Stacks over $600,000 for the Connecticut coppers at that time. The heirs indicate the 1993 sale was larger and exceeded $1,000,000. For about 20 of the higher grade coins - the original owner George Perkins made aluminum foil impressions of his coins and put them in 2x2 holders with the Maris attributions on them. The time and effort put into the Connecticut coppers by Mr. Perkins is amazing. There are hundreds of pages of notes and correspondence written about Connecticut coppers.
|
|
Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Quote:
Also a three volume (loose leaf binder) set of the appraisal of the Colonel Green Stamp collection He was, if anything, as important to philately as he was to numismatics. This is nearly incomprehensible. I believe that this collection should be identified with its' own provenance, upon liquidation. The owner must have had some standing in the collecting community.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
5290 Posts |
The collector was George C. Perkins who was a collector of colonial coins - primarily Connecticut coppers. When his collection was sold by Stacks in 1993 it was one of the most complete collections of early Conn. varieties known at that time.
There are 15 raw Connecticut cents in the remaining collection. There are also 3 slabbed by PCGS - the best of the 3 slabbed coins is a 1787 Horned Bust in AU53. Some of the 15 appear to be UNKNOWN die pairings that George was working on at the time of his death.
I have not really begun to work on the coins yet.
Mr. Perkins was also an Attorney and he occupied offices that at one time were used by one of the firms that handled business for Col. Green. As far as I can determine, he was not a direct legal successor to that firm which is critical in this case. The Green material all came from the earlier law firm files. A great deal of the other correspondence may have as well - I simply do not know - no one does. I checked with the estate attorney about the "legality" of these materials. He was of the opinion that any violation of the law or of Attorney Client privilege was on the part of the original law firm which apparently ABANDONED the files instead of destroying them. He further indicated that if the law firms had been in direct succession - he would have already ordered the materials DESTROYED regardless of their value as collectibles. He cited a case with which he was involved. In that case, documents arising from an Attorney-Client relationship between his firm and Ted Williams (the Red Sox ball player) had to be DESTROYED instead of being sold. The files contained 100's of Ted Williams autographs!
But in this case, I am on very good ground since the bulk of the questionable documents were actually being thrown away by the estate heirs. I am a salvor of abandoned materials in this case.
|
|
Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Very much qualified for a unique provenance, in my opinion. You've an amazing task - and a large one - in front of you, swamperbob. If there is any assistance whatsoever which could be rendered, please do not hesitate to ask. In return for room, board and a case of beer a week, I'd quit my job to come help.  |
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
20732 Posts |
Surprizing that some museum hasn't tried to make some type of offer.
just carl
|
|
Valued Member
United States
71 Posts |
Sounds like what we all hope to stumble upon somewhere in our "searches" ... gives me goose bumps :) Keep us posted somehow ...
|
|
Replies: 52 / Views: 12,666 |
|
Posted 10/06/2010 1:54 pm
